Everton forward Richarlison scored the first goal in the Toffees' 2-0 victory over Chelsea at the weekend, which sees him keep his place as the club's joint-top goalscorer this season. However, it could all have been very different for the Brazilian as he has admitted he nearly quit football at the age of 16.
Since making the move from Watford to Merseyside last summer in a deal worth up to £50m, the front man has been in impressive goal scoring form - his opener on Sunday taking him to 13 for the season.
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— Richarlison Andrade (@richarlison97) March 17, 2019
Surprising though it may seem, Richarlison has revealed how close he came to abandoning his dream of becoming a professional footballer aged just 16 due to several rejections and requirements to provide for his family.
As quoted by the Daily Mail, he confessed: "
The 21-year-old's patience and perseverance has got him this far and he will need more of the same in reserve, as Everton currently find themselves languishing in mid-table despite Sunday's victory.
Source : 90min